Growth enhancing effects of vermiwash and panchagavya on Dolichus lablab (lablab beans)

The present study dealt with the growth promoting effects of Dolichus lablab sprayed with and/or without vermiwash and panchagavya. Vermiwash is obtained from the vermicomposting unit and panchagavya is prepared using cow products such as milk, curd, urine, ghee and dung. Different concentrations of vermiwash and panchagavya (5, 10 and 15%) were applied to the bean plants once in every week for up to 105 days from June 2014 to September 2014. The exo-morphological characters such as shoot length, internode length, diameter of the internode, number of leaves and leaf surface area of D. lablab were recorded prior to every treatment in all groups. Garlic, ginger and asafoetida are mixed with cow urine and the resulting paste is used to control the pests and acts as pest repellent. Interestingly, 10% vermiwash and panchagavya treated D. lablab plants showed better growth promoting effects than the other treatment groups. Thus, the results of the present study clearly suggest that vermiwash and panchagavya could be used as effective foliar sprays in the near future.